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Suspect in standoff in court on charges in earlier shooting

Published: Wednesday, January 30, 2013 at 6:23 p.m.

Last Modified: Wednesday, January 30, 2013 at 6:23 p.m.

One of the suspects whose attempt at eluding capture led to a tense standoff with Wilmington police earlier this week appeared in court for the first time on Wednesday to face charges for allegedly shooting a man earlier this month.

The suspect, Christopher Dashawn Williams, 24, is charged with armed robbery and first-degree attempted murder in connection to the Jan. 2 shooting of Karem Demond Thomas, a 28-year-old found shot twice – including once in the chest – in an apartment complex off Darlington Avenue.

Williams made his first appearance in a New Hanover County courtroom via a video feed from the jail, where he is being held under a $500,000 bond.

First appearances are largely a procedural matter where a judge informs the defendant of the charges against him and the potential penalties. First-degree attempted murder carries a possible life sentence.

Williams was a passenger in a car that was pulled over Tuesday morning on Price's Lane. Police said the driver, Jermaine Junior Cordova, 36, was initially cooperative, but Williams jumped out of the car and ran.

Cordova then took off as well, fleeing to a shed a short distance away. At one point, police said, Cordova exchanged gunshots with officers chasing him, and may have sustained a leg wound during the firefight.

As Cordova hid in the shed, police surrounded the area. What followed was a tense standoff, which prompted four nearby schools to be locked down for several hours.

After negotiations failed to end the situation, police eventually fired tear gas into the shed to try to force Cordova to surrender. But nearly four hours passed before he finally gave up.

<p>One of the suspects whose attempt at eluding capture led to a tense standoff with Wilmington police earlier this week appeared in court for the first time on Wednesday to face charges for allegedly shooting a man earlier this month.</p><p>The suspect, Christopher Dashawn Williams, 24, is charged with armed robbery and first-degree attempted murder in connection to the Jan. 2 shooting of Karem Demond Thomas, a 28-year-old found shot twice – including once in the chest – in an apartment complex off Darlington Avenue.</p><p>Williams made his first appearance in a New Hanover County courtroom via a video feed from the jail, where he is being held under a $500,000 bond.</p><p>First appearances are largely a procedural matter where a judge informs the defendant of the charges against him and the potential penalties. First-degree attempted murder carries a possible life sentence.</p><p>Williams was a passenger in a car that was pulled over Tuesday morning on Price's Lane. Police said the driver, Jermaine Junior Cordova, 36, was initially cooperative, but Williams jumped out of the car and ran.</p><p>Cordova then took off as well, fleeing to a shed a short distance away. At one point, police said, Cordova exchanged gunshots with officers chasing him, and may have sustained a leg wound during the firefight.</p><p>As Cordova hid in the shed, police surrounded the area. What followed was a tense standoff, which prompted four nearby schools to be locked down for several hours.</p><p>After negotiations failed to end the situation, police eventually fired tear gas into the shed to try to force Cordova to surrender. But nearly four hours passed before he finally gave up.</p><p>Cordova was hospitalized immediately following the standoff.</p><p>Williams initially escaped but was arrested later that day. </p><p><i></p><p><a href="http://www.starnewsonline.com/section/topic9904"><b>Brian Freskos</b></a>: 343-2327</p><p>On <a href="http://www.starnewsonline.com/section/news41"><b>Twitter</b></a>: @BrianFreskos</i></p>